The present invention relates to electronic price label (EPL) systems, and more specifically to a method of temporarily displaying information by an EPL.
EPL systems typically include a plurality of EPLs for merchandise items in a transaction establishment. EPLs typically display the price of corresponding merchandise items on store shelves and are typically attached to a rail along the leading edge of the shelves. A transaction establishment may contain thousands of EPLs to display the prices of the merchandise items. The EPLs are coupled to a central server from where information about the EPLs is typically maintained in an EPL data file. Price information displayed by the EPLs is obtained from a price look-up (PLU) data file and stored within an EPL price change record.
EPLs are also being used to display more than just price information. For example, retailers are using EPLs to display employee-directed information which employees use to manage a store. Employees may be restocking shelves, taking inventory, and performing other store-related tasks using the information displayed by EPLs 22 as necessary.
Examples of employee-directed information include xe2x80x9cPull from Loc XYZxe2x80x9d (pull stock from back room location XYZ), 5 Deep (stock this item 5 deep on this location, xe2x80x9c5 Deep/2 Widexe2x80x9d (stock this item 5 facings deep and 2 facings wide for this location), xe2x80x9c17 in Locationxe2x80x9d (stock 17 of this item at this location), xe2x80x9c4 locsxe2x80x9d (this item is located at 4 different locations within the store).
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a method of controlling display of temporary information, such as employee-directed information. It would also be desirable to temporarily display and resume display of previously displayed information.
In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a method of temporarily displaying information by an EPL is provided.
The method implemented by the electronic price label includes receiving a first message containing a first command to display first contents of a first memory area identified by a first memory locator, storing a second memory locator identifying a second memory area containing second memory contents currently being displayed in a third memory area, receiving a second message containing a second command to redisplay the second contents of the second memory area, reading the second memory locator from the third memory area, reading the second memory contents from the second memory area, and displaying the second memory contents.
An electronic price label system includes an electronic price label and a computer. The electronic price label includes a memory containing a plurality of areas, including a first area identified by a first memory locator and containing currently displayed first information. The computer sends a first message containing a first command to display temporary second information from a second memory area identified by a second memory locator for a predetermined time period, determines an end of the predetermined time period, and sends a second message containing a second command to redisplay the first information. The electronic price label receives the first message, stores the first memory-locator in a third memory area, displays the second information, receives the second message, reads the first memory locator from the third memory area, reads the first information from the first memory area, and redisplays the first information.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a method of temporarily displaying information by an EPL.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of temporarily displaying information in a particular memory register.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of temporarily displaying information in a particular memory register using a broadcast message.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of temporarily displaying employee-directed information by an EPL.